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Top 5 Best DJ Headphones 2019 The DJ Shop Blog

Thursday, 3 January 2019 17:10:00 Europe/London

We believe it is essential for DJs across the spectrum to have a set of top DJ headphones that are reliable, robust, produce high-quality, precise sound, have excellent noise isolation and are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Why invest in a good set of DJ headphones? Well, primarily you are helping to protect one of your most important assets as a DJ, your ears.

We have generated a guide of our best selling DJ headphones providing detailed information on their features for comparison. The headphones we have selected cover a range of price points so you should be able to find one that suits your budget.

Headphone information guide

Numerous features and ‘technical’ talk are used to describe professional headphones that could confuse the average consumer, especially if you are a novice. The likes of SPL, impedance and the use of drivers may not mean a lot at present (if it does, please scroll down to see what we recommend) so here is a quick overview of the main features that are used when comparing headphones.

SPL

SPL stands for Sound Pressure Level which is how the sensitivity of the headphones is measured (in milliwatts).

Headphone Construction

Headphone Construction is another main feature especially important to DJs. You can get:

On-ear – where the ear pads (cups) sit over your outer ear

Over-ear – where the ear pads (cups) cover the whole of your ear

Closed – where the back of the headphones are ‘closed’ to stop ambient noise from entering along with stopping any sound from escaping.

Open – where the back of the headphones are ‘open’ allowing you to see the grilled mesh and internal components. These do allow you to hear external noises and your sound can escape quite freely.

Driver Unit

The driver that is embedded into your headphones is made up of magnets, voice coils, and a cone-shaped diaphragm which turns electrical signal into sound pressure.

Impedance

You will come across a figure measured in ohms which is known as the impedance. This is the measurement of the electrical resistance. The higher the impedance is, the more resistance there is which means you need more power to drive the headphones.

Frequency

One of the main features of professional headphones that you would be particularly interested in is what the maximum and minimum frequency your headphones would be capable of producing. On headphone listings, you would see this more commonly displayed as the frequency response, the indication of the headphones audio frequency range.

THD

You may find some listings document the THD (Total Harmonic Distortion). This measures the level of distortion the headphones may produce while using them at high volume.

Well, that’s enough of the headphone ‘jargon’ covered, let's provide you with the DJ headphones we think are worthy of making our top five list.

The Headphones

Below is list of the top five DJ headphones we feel are top-quality, good value for money (budget dependent) and rank as our best selling DJ headphones.

Pioneer HDJ-X10 DJ Headphones

We are going to start our top 5 list with the Pioneer HDJ-X Series of headphones. The X10 is the daddy of the range, and we think has the most to offer. It is an over-ear, closed-back design which can be collapsed. They are fitted with a 50mm dome type driver, have a bass reflex chamber for a more powerful base, a frequency response of 5Hz to 40kHz, 3500mW maximum power input, SPL (Sound Pressure Level) is at 106dB, and has an impedance of 32 ohms.

The HDJ-X10 headphones are the successor to the renowned HDJ-2000MK2 headphones. They are incredibly robust, are shock resistant (have been tested to US Military Standard MIL-STD-810G Shock test), have a flexible headband, rotatable earpiece and feature an industry first nano coating. The headphones come with removable cables in the form of one coiled (1.2m to 3m) and one straight (1.6m). The types of audio connectors are a 3.5mm TRS jack or a 6.3mm TRS jack. The H10s come in a little more substantial than other headphones at 328g, not a huge difference but enough to withstand the durable quality aspect mentioned. A carry case to protect the headphones while on the move is also included in the box.

Dependent upon budgets, Pioneer also has the HDJ-X7 (£179) and HDJ-X5 (£89) within their range. The X7 headphones come in a little lighter at 312g, have an impedance of 36 ohms, SPL is 102dB, and the frequency response is 5Hz to 30kHz. The X5 headphones are even lighter still at 269g. They feature a 40mm dome type driver, have an impedance of 32 ohms, SPL is 102dB, same frequency response as the X7s, the maximum power input of 2000mW and only comes with a short coiled cable (1.2m to 1.8m). Both of these headphones come with a carry pouch to protect the headphones when not in use.

HDJ-X Series Video

Sennheiser HD25 DJ Headphones

Sennheiser is a well respected, popular, and well-known brand used within clubs and amongst DJs. We have selected one of their more popular products the HD25s. The HD25 headphones are an on-ear, closed-back style headphone. They are not collapsible like the Pioneer ones above nor do they feature a rotatable earpiece however they are durable and a reasonable weight at 300g. They have a frequency response of 16Hz to 22kHz, maximum SPL of 120dB, an impedance of 70 ohms and in this instance a reported THD of <0.3%. The Sennheiser headphones come with a 1.5m cable and have a jack 3.5mm TRS and jack 6.3 TRS connection.

Within the HD25 range, you can also obtain a Light (£99) and PLUS (£169) version. The Sennheiser HD25 Light headphones have a lower frequency response at 30Hz to 16kHz, a lower impedance at 60 ohms, has a maximum SPL of 114dB and a THD of <0.4%. The Sennheiser HD25 PLUS headphones mirror the standard HD25s except for additional accessories, an extra pair of soft velour ear pads, a pouch and a coil (1m to 3m) steel cable.

Sennheiser HD25 Video

Numark Red Wave Carbon DJ Headphones

If your budget doesn’t quite stretch to the Pioneer or Sennheiser range or you are looking for something to tide you over then look no further than the Numark Red Wave Carbon headphones, which are fantastic value for money and do not compromise on quality. The Red Waves are an over-ear closed-back style headphone with tiltable earpieces, are highly durable, collapsible, and they look the part too. They have a frequency response of 15Hz to 20kHz, impedance of 24 ohms, the maximum power input of 350mW, and SPL of 120dB and weigh in at only 280g. Within the Red Wave Carbons are 50mm neodymium powered driver units for optimal bass reproduction. The coiled (1m to 3m) cable is removable and comes with a 3.5mm jack TRS and 6.3mm jack TRS audio connection, and a carry bag.

Denon HP1100 DJ Headphones

The Denon HP1100 are mid-range priced headphones that are sturdy, sleek and professional looking. They feature an over-ear, closed-back design for excellent sound isolation, rotatable ear cups, can be folded, weigh in at only 331g and come with a leather carry bag which ensures they are protected while travelling.

The HP1100 headphones have a frequency response of 5Hz to 33kHz, large 53mm drivers, dynamic type transducer, an SPL of 105dB, an impedance of 36 ohms and a maximum power input of 3500mW. The Denon headphones contain a soft insulated semi-coiled cable and have dual sized, 3.5mm and 6.3mm, TRS jack connections.

Reloop RHP-30 Black DJ Headphones

The Reloop RHP-30 is a closed, on-ear type of headphone, which is strong, durable, and accented with a rubber-paint finish. The headphones are collapsible, and the cable can be removed however they do not feature a rotatable earpiece. The RHP-30’s have a frequency response of between 10Hz to 24kHz, an SPL of 102dB, a maximum input of 1000mW, an impedance of 40 ohms (+/- 15%) and features a 40mm driver unit. There are three types of cables included with the Reloop headphones; coiled (3m), Straight (1.2m) and a cord with smartphone controls (1.2m), all with a 3.5mm jack TRS and a 6.3mm jack TRS connection (gold-plated adapter included). These headphones are on the heavier side compared to the other DJ headphones weighing in at 355g.

To conclude

One of the most important reasons to invest in quality headphones ultimately is to ensure you are protecting your ears. It has been reported that headphone misuse and user ignorance, especially listening to loud music over long periods of time or using ‘cheap’ headphones, has caused hearing loss or tinnitus. This is the last thing you would want if you are an aspiring DJ or already a pro within the industry.

Investing in a pair of good quality headphones is one of the more sensible things you can do as a DJ. The top five headphones we have selected above are of high-quality and cover a range of budgets, so you don’t need to spend a fortune to help protect those ears.

Another reason to invest in a pair of good-quality DJ headphones is they have been designed and manufactured with comfort in mind. Manufacturers are only too aware that they will be worn for extended periods of time, so any discomfort is not only distracting but can be painful also. Again, with that in mind, the headphones have been equipped with soft, flexible headbands, aimed at reducing pressure on the ears and head, along with soft ear pads.

So, protecting your headphones against sweat, what every DJ has endured at some point. The new Pioneer HDJ-X10 has brought this issue to light where they claim that the headphones are protected from dirt and sweat through the use of a nano-coating, which is water resistant. They are the first brand to tackle this issue at the source, yet we expect as time evolves we will see this as a ‘standard’ feature amongst all DJ headphones, especially as it will improve the longevity of headphone use. This has long been an issue, and the usual answer is to replace or change the ear pads.

Finally, one last feature DJ headphones incorporate is a one-sided cord. When DJing, the last thing you want is the cord to get in the way of your performance, so having it placed to one side ensures you do not get in a tangled mess. Note that having one cord does not result in losing any audio quality!

We hope you have found this article to be of use. If you take away one thing, it is to not to forget to protect those ears. Investing in a decent pair of DJ headphones is a good start, and it is worth remembering that the use of earplugs is important too. You can replace hardware but not your hearing.